Artificial leg.



E. ERNST.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1,3U2,338, Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

5R5 m. PNOTU-LITNDU WASHING mu. 0. c.

E. ERNST. ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, [917.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mun. nnnsr, on nomaon, ENGLAND.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

Application filed May 15, 1917. Serial No. 168,844.

To all whom it may concern: r

Be it known that I, EMIL ERNST, a subject of the King of England, residing atSO and 82 Charlotte street, Fitzroy Square, London, England, whose post-office address is 80 and 82 Charlotte street, Fitzroy Square, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, of which the following is a specification.

Artificial legs adapted to hip-amputations have not hitherto been provided with means to enable the wearer to sit down in a natural way.

The present invention aims at the production of an artificial leg provided with a hipjoint which is, or can be, locked against movement while walking or standing but easily releasable by the wearer when he desires to sit down, and which either automatically returns to the locked position when the wearer stands up again, or can be locked by the wearer when in the standing erect position.

The accompanying drawings show two forms in illustration of my invention adapt ed to connect together the tilting table or socket for the stum of the hip and the thigh part of an artificial leg so as to allow of movement in one direction similar to that of the human hip-joint.

Figure l is a plan view of my improved device in locked position;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper part of the artificial leg and showing the same in erect position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the device in unlocked position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper part of the artificial leg, with the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 applied thereto, and showing the sitting position of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of the device disclosed in the three aforementioned figures;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a modification of the device in locked position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the device in unlocked position; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the device as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The same parts are lettered to correspond in all the figures of the drawings.

In these drawings A is the plate which is secured to the tilting table or socket H into which the hip-stump is inserted, and B is the plate secured to the thigh part T of the artt ficial leg the said thigh part being jointed at the knee to the lower part of the leg in the usual way.

E is an elastic webbing connection between the hip-stump socket H and the thigh part T, and E is one of two similar connections between the upper end of the thigh part T and the knee pad (not shown). These elastic connections are of the usual character for the purpose of returning the parts to the normal erect position shown in Fig. 1. F is an apron made of soft leather connected to the socket H and thigh part T to prevent the wearers trousers or other garment being nipped between the parts when sittin down.

The hip-joint, as shown, is a ru e-joint being composed of a male part B which rotates preferably on ball bearings, between the bifurcated ends A of the plate A over the cylindrical shank of a screw C connecting the parts together in the usual way.

The keeper extremity B of the male member B is held in the locked position by means of a sleeve D which slides over the end of the plate A.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to l, the sleeve D is connected to a slide frame D carrying a rod D which rod passes through the interior of a .helically wound spring D having one end secured at D to the sleeve D and the other end secured to or bearing against a. stop-eye A on the plate A, through which eye the rod D passes as and when the slide D is moved by the finger knob D It will be observed that, by this construction, when the keeper B is within the bifurcations on the end of the plate A the spring will automatically return the sleeve D to the locked position.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 to 7 the sleeve is connected to a curved finger rip D by which it can be moved to the unlo ked or locked position as desired being held in either position against accidental movement by the reversely curved spring D secured to the plate A.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In artificial legs for hip-amputations, a hip-joint member for connecting the hipstump socket to the thigh part and releasable means for normally locking said hipjoint member against movement.

2. In artificial legs for hip-amputations, a hip-joint member for connecting the hipstump socket to the thigh part and releasable means for automatically locking the hip-joint member against movement when the wearer is in the standing erect position.

3. In artificial legs for hip-amputations, a hip-joint member for connecting the hipstump socket to the thigh part and a spring controllegl sleeve slidable over the movable part of "the hip-joint member.

4. In artificial legs for hip-amputations,

a hip-joint member for connecting the hipstump socket. to. the thigh part, a sleeve slidable over the movable part of the hip-joint member and a sprin bearing against said sleeve and against a fixed stop.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses this first day of May 1917.

EMIL ERNST. lVitnesses:

FREDK. FLORENCE, l/VALTER J. SKERTEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

